Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-06-04
ENJoYING HERSELF.


Wy One who Knows
Mr. Lanctrv's six year old niece
Jeanne. with her hands full OF new
photographs of her aunt, was the hrst
q areet me when | entered the house
Is Tventy-third street the other day.
Between Mrs. Langtry aad her little
nlooe there IL closer bond than usually
nppears between mother and child.
Even in her busiest days the two have
fheir confidential times together. After
Jeanne has had her tea and is In the
nnrssry, up runs Tantie to show herself
tressed for dinner. And after dinner,
before she leaves for the theatre, once
more goes TAntie for a good night
She romps with her little and dances
With her in . way that would WIN
nnybodys heart.
Mn. Langtry came running down the
slairs, and, after the usual greetings,
said: '.Now for jig, Jeanne. Inc
plano was in the music room, but that
did not make the slightest difference.
Tantle herself at upon the arm OF the
sefa. clapping her hands and singing
liz. and the dance wenton ist the same
until Mrs. Langley, breathless anu
laughing. sat herself down properly"
q she called it.
wish / could reproduce one OF this
clever woman's talks and make every
one know her as the child called It "her-
elf" Even in the freedom of the nur-
sery. or Of her private home life, moth
ing ever pleases Mrs. Langtry that is not
refiped and wellbred. Instead of being
Imperative and ceremonious, there is
constant fund of womanliness and what
& rarer yet, pure fun. The fun OF q
speech. or situation, or yet only OF an
idea. is never lost to her, but lie, ten to
one brought out with a single touch for
others to enjoy. She does not tell many
stories; indeed, have rarely heard her
tell one. Instesd, there is a smiling
II remember" that lie more amusing.
HER HOME LOVE.
One strong point about Mrs. Langtry
herself is her home love. Her pretty
home in Twenty-third street shows that.
Not in the beauty or elegance of the
fittings, though that is there, but in the
pride she takes in it. Her servants are
paraQons, and her lunches and dinners
are perfection. For one thing l doubt If
Mrs. Langtry has piece Of modern silver
in the house. For years she has spent
whole days, in England, mou ing around
among the second hand and pawnshops
for antiquee. As consequence, besides
her own family silver, the table is set
with antique silver, some of it hundreds
Of years old. The footman takes infinite
pride in it and places and replaces it on
cabinet and buffet. Then again there is
china. What this young woman does
not know about wares, and methods,
and values in china decoration and old
china 10 useless information.
And embroideries There it is again
From tapestries to modern panelings, it
L oil ct her fingers tips TO tell the good
from the bad, and lis real value. These
ere her fads. She enjoys them, and.
- she shrewdly says, it is very good
way Of spending money. When she
feels extravagant she sallies forth, finds
: new shop, or. rather, one new to her,
and looks about for something
worth bnying. What would
have bought new bonnet, or
at most new gown, in this way is put
into something that will be worth from
twice to ten times its value ten years
from now. Her house is filled with
these treasures, and then, besides, there
are lots Of them slowed away for q time
when, instead Of hired house, she may
have one of her own. She is always on
the lookout for American art produc.
tions. Her first question when she en-
ters one of these. curiosity or brio a. brac
shops Is for something really
American"
CARE OF HERSELF.
When l say that instead of buying
gowns Mrs. Langtry buys silver tankards
md old china platters, do not mean to
suggest that the wardrobe ever remains
neglected. Far from it. Mrs. Langtry
appreciates the first and most important
duty Of womankind, the care and devel-
opment and protection Of herself. When
she does not feel as fresh as she might;
when things worry her and she knows
pho il not in good trim physically, she
walks fast and furiously. Her fAvorite
spin il through Twenty-third street to
Fifth avenue, up to Central Park, part
way through the park and home again.
( Walking, strangely enough, is the one
way for her to keep thin. Fencing
makes her grow fat, and SO do Turkish
baths. "But walking--ab, that, "she
says, ''is what does woman good" 1t is
90 with her complexion. If she feels
that that does not please her, tten in.
deed she walks, and walks often. 1t is
the one thing to do. She does not be-
lieve in woman's using anything on
her face for identifying purposes. To-
deed, il ever l heard her say a sharp
thing about women it was when she de-
clared one day that there was not one
woman out of ten nowadays that had a
clean face.
She wears the prettiest gowns-of
course Paris gowns almost without ex-
ception-and from the soft, loose, fur
trimmed morning gowns to her hand
soonest dinner dress there is never a
tone wrong. One morning l found
her in long, loose gown of
Nile green poplin, trimmed with
long white fox fur. 1t was bought
when all English women were buying
these poplins from charity to Ireland.
Mrs. Langtry sent hers to Paris to be
made. Naturally thera did not seem to
the clever milliner much opportunity for
elaboration, but when he sent it homo
II was found to be lined throughout with
white uncut velvet, a really royal gar
msnt.-[Fannie B, Merrill in New York
World.